BlazeAid Adelong, Media Release, 1 October 2021
BlazeAid Tumbarumba camp returned in July this year with a plan to assist fire affected farmers in the southern region of the Snowy Valleys. Despite the rain interruptions and the state-wide lockdown for Covid, the camp remained operating, even when, at one stage, they were down to two volunteers. The camp closed on 28 September so the team can move assets into storage.
“With the lack of volunteers due to the weather and covid it has been difficult to assist as many farmers as I would have liked in the last three months”, said the camp coordinator, Steve Matthews. “But the time has come for BlazeAid to move on and prepare for the next fire season”, he said.
“I would like to thank the Tumbarumba community as well as the farmers that we have had the privilege to work with for the hospitality and mateship we have experienced in the last few months.”
To those farmers we were unable to assist since the Black Summer fires, I am sorry we were unable to get to you. The circumstances thrown at us all over the past 20 or so months have been very trying for everyone. If you are still struggling with fencing, please, please, please reach out to friends and neighbours for help. After all it is the way that BlazeAid was conceived, mates helping mates.”
The small crew in Tumbarumba put in the equivalent of 287 days helping farmers since July. The work included over 11km of fence removed, averaging 63 meters per day. The camp also rebuilt a total of 18kms of new fencing.
